Over the last several years, wetlands preservation has become a significant priority, with the recognition of the substantial loss of wetlands due to development, and commensurate loss of benefit associated with said wetlands due to weather-driven erosion and development, including loss of habitat, as well as the flood control and water purification attributes associated therewith.
Erosion driven by tidal flow and wind, coupled with the creation of canals and other development in coastal marshes have caused irreversible damage, forming large, shallow water pools devoid of vegetation, creating a "mud hole" which will not sustain plant or animal.
Not only has government phased in laws to prevent further destruction of wetlands, but it has also recognized that rehabilitation and remediation of damaged wetlands, and conversion of non-wetlands properties into wetlands, is also a priority, to further stem the damages done to date.
Accordingly, prior art has included techniques of wetlands remediation and conversion, including terracing; further, there have over the years been patented numerous plows, discs, and the like, although all are believed to be distinguishable from the present invention.
In the past, wetlands terraces have been constructed via a dragline, which would scoop mud from a water bottom into a bucket and deposit it to form the terrace. This method tended to leave potholes in the water bottoms and increase the turbidity of the water, further harming the ecosystem, and was expensive, slow and inconsistent in structure.
The following patents are believed to have at least some remote pertinence to the present invention, teaching various plow configurations and the like:
______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor(s) Date of Issue ______________________________________ 376,145 Buchet et al 01/07/1908 561988 Harmon 06/16/1896 759489 Weeks 05/10/1904 802068 Case 10/17/1905 803821 Grimes 11/07/1905 871976 Whitney 11/26/1907 964159 Grimes 07/12/1910 1266532 Mitchell 05/14/1918 1329543 Northon 02/03/1920 1354264 Miller 09/28/1920 1500367 Caughey 07/08/1924 1540161 Callison 06/02/1925 1537091 Snyder 05/12/1925 1575814 Burson 03/09/1926 1719886 Homan 07/09/1929 1731925 Hester 10/15/1929 1888128 Hester 11/15/1932 1951072 Theiler et al 03/13/1934 2615264 Satterwaite 10/28/1952 2708158 Pursche 02/05/1957 2711597 Werner et al 06/28/1955 2749631 Thompson 06/12/1956 2804294 Megher 08/27/1957 2806305 Ulrich 09/17/1957 2838987 Burton 06/17/1958 3045765 Cox et al 07/24/1962 3088527 Burch 05/07/1963 3209840 Lehman 10/05/1965 3265137 Couser 08/09/1966 3275087 Petitt 09/27/1966 3741953 Wyatt 10/05/1965 3841006 Mironov et al 10/15/1974 4215495 Wagner 08/08/1980 4422512 Hodgson jr et al 12/27/1983 4484636 Hodgson jr 11/27/1984 4597452 Tapphorn et al 07/01/1986 5062488 Lochmiller 11/05/1991 5337834 Tapphorn 08/16/1994 ______________________________________
Non-Patent Publication:
"Shallow-Water Terrace Construction Requirements" Talbot, W. R., National Interagency Workshop on Wetlands: Technology Advances for Wetlands Science (Apr. 4, 1995, Department of the Interior).
The publication "Shallow-Water Terrace Construction Requirements", Talbot, W. R., National Interagency Workshop on Wetlands: Technology Advances for Wetlands Science (Apr. 4, 1995, Department of the Interior) teaches that terracing of wetlands for remediation is not per se new, although it does not appear to discuss methodology of formation.
The above cited patents primarily relate to grading configurations, snow plows, drags, and terracing plows, all of which were distinguishable in some respects from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,331,382 issued Nov. 9, 1920 teaches a drag comprising a frame having front and rear ends and first and second sides, the rear end having situated adjacent thereto a chute formed from angled first and second sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,252 teaches a levee building machine comprising first and second, adjustable angled blades situated to form a chute for forming a terrace.
U.S. Pat. No. 746,547 teaches an "agricultural implement" issued 1903, again teaching first and second, adjustable angled blades situated to form a chute for forming a terrace when dragged through the earth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,293 likewise teaches a variation on the above designs, teaching staggered first and second, adjustable, angled blades for forming a terrace.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,953 issued 1969 teaches a "Back-Fill and Tamping Attachment for a Self-Propelled Loader", comprising first and second, adjustable angled blades configured to guide and direct earth into a loader.
The remaining patents contemplate various diverse plow and earthworking device configurations, and should be of general pertinence to the present, searched for invention. Of relevance is the common utilization of scalloped coulters for cutting or plowing earth in conjunction with a plow blade for maneuvering the cut earth.